Declares March 2023 as Red Cross Month and March 22, 2023 as Red Cross Giving Day. Urges everyone to join in this commitment to give to others and encourages all citizens of Illinois to support the noble efforts of the Red Cross.
Makes an appropriation of $717,765,720 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for early childhood education. Makes various appropriations from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for early intervention, for grants and administration expenses associated with the Maternal and Child Home Visiting Program, for grants and administrative expenses associated with the Healthy Families Program, and for grants and administrative expenses associated with child care services, including prior year costs. Effective July 1, 2023.
Makes various appropriations from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for family and community services and related distributive purposes. Effective July 1, 2023.
Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Deletes provision requiring Central Management Services to prepare and submit the total quantity of annual reports printed, the total cost, and the cost per copy and the cost per page of the annual report of the State agency printed during the calendar year covered by the report. Amends the Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and the State Finance Act. Deletes obsolete funding. Amends the Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Act. Removes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity from the Act. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, Unified Code of Corrections, Workers' Compensation Act. Repeals obsolete mandates. Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that in preparing the roster of approved certified independent arbitrators, the Chairman shall seek the advice and recommendation of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board at his or her discretion. Repeals obsolete mandate. Effective immediately.
Amends the Accident and Health Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning pap tests and prostate cancer screenings, provides that required coverage includes an annual cervical smear or Pap smear test for all (rather than female) insureds. Provides that required coverage includes an annual prostate cancer screening for insureds (rather than male insureds) upon the recommendation of a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches for specified individuals. Provides that required coverage includes an annual prostate cancer screening for insureds who are age 40 and over with a genetic predisposition to prostate cancer.
Amends the Illinois Library System Act. Provides that it is the policy of the State to encourage the improvement of free public libraries and to encourage cooperation among all types of libraries in promoting the sharing of library resources, including digital resources, and to encourage and protect the freedom of public libraries and library systems to acquire materials without external limitation and to be protected against attempts to ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to books or other materials. Provides that the State Librarian shall prescribe rules concerning the development of a written policy declaring the inherent authority of the public library or library system to prohibit the practice of banning specific books or resources. Provides that, in order to be eligible for State grants, a public library or library system shall develop a written policy prohibiting the practice of banning books within the public library or library system. Makes other changes.
Amends the Native American Employment Plan Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice under the Act to knowingly mail or send a postcard or letter to a recipient in the State if the postcard or letter does not disclose or disclaim any and all affiliations or lack thereof. Provides that all disclosures and disclaimers appearing on a postcard or letter must be conspicuously located at the top of the postcard or letter, be easily readable in clear and unambiguous language, and be printed in at least 14-point bold-face font in a black-outlined box. Prohibits mail that requests that the recipient contact the sender by mail, telephone, email, website, or other prescribed means without specified disclosure requirements. Makes other changes.
Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education, beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year and continuing for not less than 2 years, to make available to public institutions of higher education a model program of study, for credit, that incorporates the training and experience necessary to serve as a direct support professional. Requires the Board, by July 1, 2024, to submit recommendations developed in consultation with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, organizations representing community-based providers serving children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and elementary and secondary education practitioners, including, but not limited to, teachers, administrators, special education directors, and regional superintendents of schools, to the Department of Human Services for the training that would be required in order to complete the model program of study.
Creates the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force Act. Creates the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall develop a statewide plan to connect existing local projects and new projects to create a cohesive statewide history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois while creating new educational and tourism opportunities for the State. Establishes the membership of the Task Force. Provides that the members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force. Provides that all members of the Task Force shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of the Act. Provides that the Task Force shall review available research, existing infrastructure and projects, best practices, and effective interventions to formulate recommendations. Provides that the Task Force shall prepare a report detailing the Task Force's findings and recommendations and needed resources. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before July 1, 2024. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved, and the Act is repealed, on January 1, 2025.
